Coal-cutting machine



I! Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 11034,, Braekeff HIS ATTORNHY.

J. C. BRACKETT COAL CUTTING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1924 .MWH R March 21926.

March 2 1926. 1,575,531

J. c. BRACKETT COAL CUTTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY w H15 ATTOR EYMarch 2 1926. 1,575,531

J. C. BRACKETT COAL CUTTING MACHINE Fil y 16. 9 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

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"I HIM rsll Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

*umren sr r s PATENT ()FFICQ JOHN C. EBRACKETCE, OF PHILLIPSBURG,

new. JERSEY, AssIenon rro .INGERSOLL- RAND COMPANY, DIE-JERSEY CITY, NEWJERSEY,.A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOAL-CUTTING MACHINE.

Application filed May 16, 1924. Serial No. 713,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. Bnaorrnrr, a citizen of the United Stat-es,and a resident of Phillipsburg, county of \Varren, and l State of NewJersey, have invented a certain Coal-"Cutting Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to coal mining machinery, and more particularlyto coal cutters of the turret type which operate against the coal bymeans of a cutter having an endless chain carrying teeth and adapted tocut a slot or channel in the face of the coal. 1 It is an object of thisinvention to enable the cutter bar to be swu-ngin any desired "directionor inclined or reversed'by a mechanism whichtis simple in constructionand easily L operated and controlled. Another 2 object of the inventionis to simplify "the construction of the operating mechanism for thecutter chain in order-to produce higher efficiency and "greater power.)

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be in part obvious andin part pointed out hereinafter. In the drawings forming part of thespecification and in which similar reference characters refer to similarparts,

Figure V cutting machine constructed in accordance with the practice ;ofthe inventio1r;-

. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine shown inFigure showing the "internal construction and arrangement of'theiparts;and i r "Figure .3 is aplan view of the machine, partsheing broken "awayto show the internal construction of "the driving gear.

The machineillustrated in the drawings comprises a-car A provided at itsfront end 'with .a column Bf or supporting the cutter "bar mounting O. Acutter bar D ismounted on the head '0 and supports an endless chain Ehaving projecting teeth which are adapted to cut into-the coal to form aslot or channel in the usual in annerL f Preferably, the car A ispropelled by an electric drive, as for instance, themotor G which isadaptedto rotate the wheels H through the medium of suitable geartransmission. For slower speeds there is provided a pinionJ on the motorshaft K en- .gagingflwith the gear L on a counter shaft 0 having a pairof Worms P at either end 1 is aside elevation of a turret coal meshingwith the Worm wheelsQkeyedto the axles R upon which the Wheels Harefixed. For propelling the car at higher speeds a higher gear ratio isprov-ided by the gear 8 on the motor shaft Kavhic'h is adapted to driveasmaller pinion T on the counter shaft 6). Selection of the desired gearis-accomplished by meansof a lever U'which is connected by means of ayoke V with a sliding jaw clutch W cooperating with the pinion J andgear S to connect one or the other as desired with the motor shaft K."Usually the higher gear is employed for propelling the machine aboutthe mine from one room to another. The smaller gear, however, is usedfor propelling the machine forward. when greater power is necessary,such as in sumping wherein the cutter bar D is forced forward into theface of the "coal seam. The speed of the vehicle-may also be controlledby a suitable afheost'at controller box X situated at the back platformY providedfo-r the operator.

The column B which supports the cutter har mounting C is, in thisinstance, a plunger which cooperates with a movable cylinder Z attachedto the mounting C and is a means for raising and lowering the mountingClocating the cutter bar 1) at any desired height within "the limits oftbemovement of the cylinder Z on the column B. The gear pump 6 may beoperated continuously; its discharge of oil or other suitable fluidbeing conducted by a supply pipeg-c to a three-way valve d which in itsnormal position bypasses the oil back to the oil reservoir 0 through aby-pass pipe f. In the alternate position of the valve (Z the supply ofoil is conducted from the supply pipe 0 to the pipe at and thence intothe interior of the cylinder Z. lVhen' the valve is turned to a thirdposition, the oil withinthe cylinder Z is returned due to the pressurecaused by the weight of the cutter bar mounting 0 through the pipe atback through the valve d and the by-pass f'to the reservoir permit tingthe cutter bar mounting-to lower by gravity. In order to preventthecylinder 9 attached to the column B which fitinto grooves it on theinner surface of the cylinder. The packing j betweenthe column B and thecylinder Z is preferably heldin place on the cylinder Z by means ofaring 7c secured in any sigitable manner .on the bottom flange 0 of thecylinder.

The cutter bar mounting G is supported on a" boss 22 preferablycylindrical and held thereon by means of a plate bolted or otherwisesecuredto the boss. The portion '1 of-the mountingC which fits onto theboss 19 is provided with a cylindrical aperture fitting the boss so thatthe mounting C may rotate in a-vertical plane. Such rotation iscontrolled by means of a worm Wheels formed integrally with the portionsr and cooperating with a worm" t mounted on the cylinder Z. The'handwheel a which,

if desired, may be provided with suitable reduction gearing 20, providesmeans for rotating the worm 25 whereby the mounting C is turned to thedesired angle and proper inclination.

, The cutter bar D is offset from the boss p so that when it is desiredto channel close to the floor, the mounting C is reversed by rotationabout the-boss 79 and in such position the cutter bar D may operateveryclose to the floor without obstructionon the part of any of the parts ofthe machine. Also, when it is desired to cut close to the roof, themounting C may be turned so that the cutter bar D lies horizontallyabove the column B and projects forwardly, no obstruction being providedby any other part of the machine to the cutting directly on a level withthe roof. With the aid of the worm t and the worm wheel 8 the cutter barD may also shear through the coal whether vertical or inclined in otherdirections.

The cutter bar mounting C includes a casing 1) which houses a drivingmotor '10 and suitable reduction gearing including the pinion .00 andthe, gear y for driving the chain sprocket a by'whi'ch the motion of thecutting chain E is caused. The motor to i may. be controlled in anysuitable manner,

as for instance, by means of the controller rheostat 2 mounted on thecar A.

In operating the machine for cutting-coal,

it is commonly the practice to swing the cutter bar D through an arc inthis manner forcing the cutter bar sidewise into the coal. For thispurpose the motor w is rotatable within the mounting G. The lowerportion 0 Q of the motor casing supports a pinion 4 which is supportedat its upper bearing by a. gear case 5 pivotally attached to the easingof the motor w. The pinion 4 meshes with. teeth6 cut in the periphery ofthe mounting C and is driven by a worm wheel 7 meshing with the worm 7which by means of a jaw clutch 8 is in turn driven by a worm wheel 9meshing with a worm 10 on the shaft 11 of the motor w. The clutch 8 isadapted to be controlled bymeans of a yoke 12 attached toa pivotedlever13.

Thus, when it is desired to swing the cut- In order that the cutterbaroD may be swung by hand in either direction, means are provided todisconnect the worm wheel 7 from the pinion 4 and to this end a jawclutch 14 is provided to engage and disengage the worm wheel 7 from theshaft of the pinion 4. A lever 15 is adapted to operate the clutch 14.

I claim:

1. A coal cutter comprising the combination of a cutter bar, a cutterbar mounting, r.

a column, fluid pressure operated means to support said cutterbarmounting adapted to be raised on said column, a motor for operating saidcutter bar rotatably dlsposed ,on

said mounting and supporting said cutter.

bar, and means adapted to rotate said motor for swinging said cutterbar.

2. A coal cutter comprlsing the combination of a cutter bar, a cutterbar mounting,

a column,,fiuid pressure operated means to support said cutter barmounting adapted to be raised on said column, amotor for operatingsaidcutter bar rotatably' disposed on "said mounting and supportingsaid'cutter bar, means adapted to rotate said motorfor swinging saidcutter bar, said means comprising gear teeth on said mounting andgearing associated with said motor to be driven thereby.

8. A coal cutter comprising the combination of a-cutter bar, a cutterbar mounting,-

an electric motor for operating said cutter bar rotatably supported insaid mounting and adapted to rotate said cutter bar and means to rotatesaid [motor in said mounting including gear teeth on said mounting,

a gear supportedby said motor casing and driving connections associatedwith the shaft of said motor and said gear.

4. A coal cutter comprising the combina tion of a carriage, a column 'onsaid carriage, a cutter bar mounting adapted to'be raised and loweredonsaid column, means for rotating said mounting about a horizontal axiswith respect to said column, an:

electric motor for operating said cutter bar in said mounting androtatable therein, a cutter bar relatively fixed with respect to saidmotor and rotatable therewith and means for swinging said motor andcutterbar with respect to said mounting.

5. A coal cutter comprising the combinato said. motor and rotatabletherewith, and tion of a carriage a column on said carriage, means forswinging said motor and cutter 10 a cutter bar mounting adapted to beraised bar With respect to said mounting including and lowered on saidcolumn, means for rogear connections With said motor and opert-atingsaid mounting about a horizontal axis able against said mounting. I withrespect to said column, an electric In testimony whereof I have signedthis motor in said mounting and rotatable therespecification.

in, a cutter bar relatively fixed With respect JOHN C. BRACKETT.

